


Cognitive Recalibration

by SailorChibi



Series: wanda's curse verse [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst with feels, Apologies, Brainwashing, Canon Typical Violence, Hugging, Ignores Civil War, Insecure Tony, Insecure Tony Stark, M/M, No character bashing, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, People actually talking to each other, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Subtle Brainwashing, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Unintentional Mind Control, and some characters learning that they can't just around not knowing how to use their powers, badmouthing tony stark, communication is a novel concept in the MCU, is there such a thing as a lighter form of mind control, just characters learning that actions have consequences, learn to control your powers wanda, protect tony stark, therapy is actually a thing, throwing up, tony deserves love, tony stark is a good person, tony thinks the team blames him for ultron, unintentional brainwashing, unintentional influencing of others, wanda hates tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 11:05:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9653276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: It took a hit to the head for Steve to realize that something was very wrong with the way the team was treating Tony, but it took the help of Dr. Strange to figure out that, even if she didn't consciously intend for it to happen, it was Wanda's fault.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was very happy when an anon commissioned me for this story, wanting Wanda unconsciously influencing the rest of the team to dislike Tony. Very happy.

There was smoke billowing towards the darkening sky, and the wreckage of at least three buildings lay around them, but overall Steve felt that the new team had done a pretty good job. His contentment only increased when he received word over the communicator that there had been zero casualties. A couple of civilians had been taken to the hospital with minor injuries, but overall the new Avengers had done well considering that they'd only been a team for about six months. He turned his head, automatically seeking out Natasha, and they exchanged a pleased smile.

She was sitting on the ground beside Clint, both of them huddled over Clint's phone. Steve figured he probably didn't want to know what the two of them were looking at. Sam flew overhead, doing one last check to make sure that nothing had escaped the two block radius that SHIELD had set up for containment. Wanda was leaning against a store window, watching them. Rhodes was beside her, doing something to the arm of his armor. Everyone was present and accounted for and, best of all, unharmed. They could definitely count this one as a win.

Admittedly, he should've been paying more attention. Just because the villain of the day had been captured didn't mean that that the area they were occupying was safe, but Steve wasn't really thinking about that as he strolled over to grab his shield. It was wedged deep into a brick wall, and he had to brace his foot against the wall and pull _hard_. The shield shifted, but so did the bricks. Something groaned over his head. He started to look up automatically, but never got the chance to see what was going on before something hard came down on the back of his head.

He might have blacked out briefly. He had a vague recollection of going down on his knees as pain shot through his head and reverberated down the back of his neck and into his jaw and chest. He heard Sam yelling his name. There was pressure on his head and shoulders; familiar hands pushed the pressure away, and then Sam and Clint were grabbing his upper arms and dragging him away from the site because Steve's legs didn't want to function properly. Just trying to get his feet under him made his stomach roll, and he vomited all over Natasha's suit.

"Aw man," Sam said. "Here, just - there you go." They set Steve down and he rolled forward, curling in on himself, nauseated. Natasha took a couple of steps back, looking at the mess on her suit like she wasn't sure what to make it. Sam crinkled his nose and started yelling for a medic. The sound was just so loud, and all Steve wanted was for it to stop. 

The SHIELD medic showed up quickly, thankfully. Her examination of Steve was brief. "You have a concussion, Captain Rogers," she said. "I recommend that you take it easy for the rest of the night. The serum should speed up the healing, but you'll probably feel sick and dizzy for a while. I wouldn't suggest that you do too much. And maybe next time, wait for us to secure the area before you do anything that reckless."

Steve managed a glare, but he was pretty sure he was going to throw up if he said anything. The glare probably got his point across anyway judging by how quickly she backed off. Rhodes was the one who helped him up this time, and the armor wasn't exactly comfortable to lean against, but Steve liked how strong it felt against him. Like the Iron Man armor, just not as good. He'd never tell Rhodes that because it didn't seem polite, but the gun-metal grey of the War Machine armor just couldn't compete with the gold-and-red theme of Iron Man.

Iron Man. Tony. Steve wondered where he was. He mumbled, "Where's Tony?"

"Tony?" Rhodes sounded a little surprised by the question. "I suppose he's probably at the tower. Last I talked to him, he was muttering something about some kid and spiders. Why?" He helped Steve up the steps to the jet. It was hard to focus on putting each foot on the staircase, and twice Steve would pitched forward onto his face if it weren't for Rhodes's firm grip.

"I miss him," Steve said mournfully. He liked Tony. He sank down into one of the chairs, relieved to be seated when his legs felt like jelly. 

"Wow, you really must have hit your head hard," Clint said.

"What?" Steve said, confused.

"Go sit down," Natasha said, elbowing Clint in the back. She'd switched clothes, swapping her suit out for a tank top and sweatpants. She approached Steve and knelt in front of him, batting his clumsy hands out of the way. She quickly buckled his seatbelt, and then sat down beside him and buckled her own. Steve watched as the rest of the team took their seats. Clint slid into the pilot chair and fiddled with the controls.

Take-off made the nauseous feeling even worse. Steve closed his eyes, trying to ignore the way it felt like the world was trembling around him. It helped when Natasha guided his head down onto her shoulder, but mostly he focused on trying not to throw up again. He figured that the last thing he needed was Natasha trying to stab him for ruining the brand-new suit she'd just received in the mail from Tony. 

It took about twenty-four hours for the serum to fully get rid of the concussion, which was longer than Steve would have liked, but a lot shorter than a regular human would've suffered through, so he figured he couldn't complain too much. On the morning that the compound's medic declared him fully healed, he went for a long run along the edge of the compound. 

Seeing the work that had been put into the landscaping made him think about Tony again, and he found himself wondering just why Tony hadn't been by to visit in the past month. Sure, Tony had taken himself off the team, but he was still a part of the Avengers. He still made most of their equipment. But instead of bringing the equipment by personally, now most if it arrived through a delivery service.

He wondered if Tony would be adverse to a visit at the tower. Just Steve. They could spend some time together again. They'd spent so much time together before Ultron that Steve found himself, quite suddenly, missing it. Missing the workshop and the glow of the holograms and Tony's quiet muttering interspersed with JARVIS's sassy remarks. Missed Dummy's terrible nutrient shakes and the way Tony would sputter when he grabbed a cup of cold coffee instead of the hot cup.

He pulled his shirt up and mopped at his forehead with the hem as he slowed to a jog and headed back towards the compound. This particular trail took him up through a garden, where he found Wanda. She was laying on the ground amongst the flowers, gazing up at the sky. Steve followed the direction of her eyes, wondering what she was looking at. But all he could see were a handful of clouds dotting the pale blue of the sky. He stood there for a moment, feeling awkward for intruding but not wanting to just walk by, until she spoke.

"Pietro and I used to watch the clouds like this. He could find the most amusing shapes sometimes."

"It's good that you have ways to remember him," Steve said. Despite the fact that he was an artist, he couldn't make out any shapes in the clouds. 

"I wish I had more," Wanda said softly, sadly, and Steve felt bad for her. She looked very small and young as she got up and dusted bits of grass and dandelion tufts off her shirt, but she wore a brave smile as she fell into step beside him. They walked the rest of the way to the compound in a companionable silence.

"Can you believe that?" Clint was saying as they entered the kitchen. 

"Believe what?" Steve asked, grabbing his water bottle. He drank the whole thing without stopping, feeling parched.

"Oh, he's talking about Stark," said Sam, gesturing to the small television set with his spoon. Steve lowered the bottle and glanced at the screen. 

Tony was standing there with Pepper, though there was a noticeable amount of distance between them. Steve watched for a couple of minutes, long enough to garner that they were promoting a gala for the official opening of the Maria Stark Foundation: a non-profit organization that would be dedicated to helping out the victims of super villain attacks. In spite of how fatigued he looked, Tony was standing proud, and, as he spoke, his hands were moving in that way that meant he was genuinely excited.

"Knowing him, that's just a desperate grab for attention," Clint said with a snort. "I bet he's not putting any of his money into it."

"I think it's nice," Steve said. 

"Please, Cap. We all know that Tony doesn't really care."

"Clint!" Steve said, surprised. "That's not true. This has been something Tony's talked about for a while now. These things don't just happen overnight, you know."

"But if it hadn't been for Ultron, something like this wouldn't have been necessary," Wanda pointed out.

Steve frowned at her. "You know that's not true," he said. "Loki was just as terrible as Ultron. There were just as many people who were left without homes or businesses after Loki attacked. Besides, Tony told me that the Foundation would be available to help _anyone_ who needed it, not just the victims of large-scale attacks."

"You believed him?" Natasha asked. She didn't say it to be cruel; she was genuinely asking. But it bothered Steve that she even felt the need to.

"Of course I do. Tony's a good person."

"That's not what you said last week," Sam said, eyebrows raised. 

"What did I say last week?" Steve asked.

"You said that Stark likes attention," Wanda said, stealing a piece of Sam's toast. "And that you thought he didn't really care about the victims, so long as he and his company came out looking good in the end." Her voice was full of disgust.

Steve stared around at them, wrong-footed. He hadn't said that. Had he? It wasn't true. Tony took what had happened in Sokovia very personally - more personally than any of the rest of the team, that was for sure - blaming himself for the whole thing even though it wasn't his fault. And Steve had told him that - hadn't he? He put a hand to his head. He couldn't remember ever telling Tony that Ultron wasn't his fault. But Steve must have. He couldn't have let Tony go back to New York and quit the team without telling him that. 

The others had changed the subject while Steve was lost in thought, and Natasha had switched the channel to a reality talk show. Sam rolled his eyes good-naturedly and picked up his bowl of cereal, slipping out of the room. Steve found himself staring at the only person still sitting at the table: James Rhodes. The man who was Tony's best friend, who would sooner punch someone in the face than listen to them talk bad about Tony. And through that whole conversation, Rhodes hadn't said a single word. Even now, he was chatting casually with Clint.

What the hell was going on?

"Are you okay?" Natasha said, looking at him. "You're acting kind of funny."

"I'm acting funny?" Steve repeated. "Natasha, you know that Tony's a good person."

Natasha sighed a little. "I know that Tony wants the world to think that," she said after a moment. "But let's face it, Steve. He quit the team. If he cared, he'd still be here trying to make a difference. But he's not." She looked away, back at the television. "To me, that suggests that he doesn't care. He's just a spoiled kid that lost interest when doing the right thing got too hard. I'd bet a lot of money that Foundation is just a brand new way to make him look good."

"I can't believe you just said that," Steve said, shocked. 

"It's the truth." She was clearly losing interest in the conversation, so Steve didn't push it. He backed off and left the room, but once he was in the privacy of his own bedroom the full implications of everything he'd just heard hit him all over again. If that was kind of the attitude Tony was being met with when he visited, it was no wonder Tony hadn't been coming around. But where and why had the team started acting that way? They _knew_ that underneath all of his masks, Tony was actually a really sweet and caring guy. So why the change?

Over the next week, Steve tried to figure it out. His efforts didn't get him very far. Sam actually sat him down and asked, very seriously, if Steve was still feeling sick from the concussion, because apparently he was acting weird. It took every ounce of willpower Steve possessed to not point out that it was actually the rest of the team that was acting weird, and then only because he had the feeling it wouldn't go over well. Especially because this attitude that Tony was a horrible person at heart seemed rampant. No one had a good word to say about him.

At a loss, he returned to his room after the conversation with Sam. And there, on his cell phone, he found a message from Laura Barton, asking him to come visit immediately because she needed to talk: she was worried about Clint. Steve packed a bag, slipped out of the compound, and was on the jet in the next hour.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve hadn't been back to the farm since that day they were all hiding from Ultron. He was surprised to find out what a relief it was that, aside from the large vegetable garden that was now in bloom, everything looked the same. His boots sank into the muddy path as he walked towards the house. The air was clean and smelled like freshly mown grass, and he took a couple of deep breaths, pausing on the bottom step of the porch to take another look around. Sometimes he missed New York with an ache so deep he felt it in his bones, but he could see the merits of a home like this too. 

"Steve?"

The surprised voice behind him had him turning quickly, already smiling. "Laura," he said warmly. "It's good to see you again."

Laura Barton smiled too, though her confusion hadn't faded. "It's good to see you too, but I have to admit that I'm surprised to see you here."

"Didn't you send me a text?" Steve said, his hand going automatically to the pocket where his phone was, like he was really going to whip his phone out and show her the message to prove it. 

"I did, but you never answered any of the others I sent, so I didn't think..." Laura trailed off, possibly because of the look of confusion that Steve knew he was sporting. "Well, in any case, you're here now and that's what counts. I just put on a pot of fresh coffee and Lila helped me bake a lemon cake last night, if you'd care to try a piece."

"I'd love to," Steve replied. "I missed breakfast this morning." He climbed the rest of the stairs and couldn't resist digging his phone out and checking his texts. His memory wasn't deceiving him. There was only one message from Laura, sent about three hours ago. So what was she talking about?

She led him into the kitchen and pointed firmly at the table when he offered to help, so Steve obediently sat and waited for her to join him. There was a new family picture on the wall, this one featuring a baby boy front and center. It made him wonder where the children were. The farm was surprisingly quiet; if he concentrated, he could hear birds chirping and the faint ringing of the wind chimes that Laura had hanging out on the porch. He couldn't decide whether it was comforting or eerie. At least at the compound, there were always people around.

Laura came in with a tray bearing two cups of coffee and two plates with cake. She caught him looking at the photograph and said, "Lila and Cooper are at school. Nate went down for his morning nap not long before you got here. He should sleep for a couple of hours." She set a cup and plate in front of him and sat with a soft sigh.

"Laura," Steve said, unable to contain the question any longer, "what did you mean, the other texts you sent?"

"I texted you at least four or five times over the past couple of months. I was concerned about Clint, and Natasha didn't seem to be answering to me. You were the only other person on the team I felt comfortable contacting," Laura said. She cupped her hands around her mug, but didn't drink. "I apologize for that, by the way. Now that you're here, I'm realizing what a massive overstep that was on my part."

"No, it's fine," Steve said hastily. "I didn't mean - I just don't remember getting those other texts." He frowned down at his coffee, belatedly realizing that Laura had remembered how he took it: two sugars and no cream. 

"You were probably busy," she said, seemingly unconcerned. 

"Maybe," Steve muttered, but he doubted it. "You're concerned about Clint?"

She hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "It sounds silly now that I'm going to say it to you. It's just... Clint never comes home anymore. He hasn't been the same since Ultron." Her eyes flicked up towards Steve, as though checking his reaction to the name, before sliding away just as quickly. "I know he was trying to divide his time after the battle, and I understand why. I'm not angry. I'm just trying to understand."

"When you say he hasn't been the same..."

"Clint was always good at compartmentalizing," Laura said. "When he was home, he was home. SHIELD wasn't on his mind. But lately, it's like he's forgotten how to do that. All he talks about is the compound and you guys, especially Wanda. It's like he's losing interest in me and the children. He missed Lila's recital, Cooper's birthday, Nate's first word, our anniversary. And it didn't bother him! He doesn't seem to feel guilty. I feel like when he's here, he's just waiting to go back there. Like he's obsessed." She paused. "God, listen to me. I sound like one of those wives you see on television, upset because their husband has a hobby."

"I think it might be more than that," Steve said a little awkwardly, and she looked up at him.

"I think you're right," she said softly. "Phil?"

The name made Steve turn so fast he heard his back crack, but he'd only ever known one man by that name. Somehow, he wasn't as surprised to see Phil Coulson step out of the kitchen as he probably should've been. He found himself on his feet, though he had no memory of actually standing. Phil raised a hand as though to steady him, his other hand coming to rest on the back of Laura's chair. Laura leaned against him. Steve's eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them, trying to make sense of it all.

"At ease, Captain. Have a seat. I can explain," Phil said.

"You lied to us," Steve said bluntly.

Phil met his gaze evenly. "Yes, I did. It was Fury's decision initially, but he wasn't wrong. The team needed something to pull them together. I suppose I should be grateful that my so-called sacrifice lasted as glue for as long as it did." His mouth quirked into a wry smile as he sat beside Laura. "It's really me."

Steve sat slowly. "Prove it."

As though he'd been expecting this, Phil sighed. "I once told I'd watched you while you slept," he muttered. 

Laura snorted, quickly pressing her hand to her mouth. Even Steve couldn't help cracking a grin. Phil rolled his eyes at both of them.

"Yes, I know, I'm not smooth," he said. "Steve, I heard about your little bump on the head."

"It's healed now," Steve said, confused, lifting a hand to touch the back of his head automatically. What would've put a normal human out of commission for days was now nothing more than a memory, with only the blood washed down the drain as the evidence anything had ever happened.

"I figured. But the ramifications of that hit might not be so quickly erased," Phil said. "I'm very glad you came to meet Laura today. It means that you're out of reach."

"Out of reach of what?"

Phil and Laura shared a look. Then Phil leaned forward, lacing his hands together. "Tell me, Steve. When was the last time you saw Stark?"

Steve started to answer, then stopped. His mouth hung open stupidly while he tried to call up the memory, but he couldn't. 

"Was it last week?" Phil pressed. "Two weeks ago? A month ago?"

"I don't know," Steve said. "Why don't I know? What's going on?"

And that's when Laura put her hand on Steve's and said, very gently, "We think Wanda has been using her powers to influence the team."

"What?" Steve exclaimed, maybe a little too loudly judging by the way that both Laura and Phil winced and cast alarmed looks at the ceiling. He forced himself to lower his voice to a hiss. "Wanda wouldn't do that. She's a good person. Just because she was misguided by Hydra -"

"Let me stop you right there. Firstly, you need to stop thinking of Wanda as someone who was tricked into working with Hydra. She wasn't. We have it on record that she voluntarily agreed to work with them," Phil said, meeting Steve's gaze steadily. "She was of age, of sound mind, and knew _exactly_ who she was signing up with. Secondly, Laura didn't say that she was doing it on purpose. My theory is that she's using her powers to influence all of you subconsciously."

"That's ridiculous," Steve said.

"Is it? You can't remember when you last saw Stark. You couldn't remember the texts Laura sent you. And I've been hearing some rumors from the compound lately that there's been a difference of opinion between you and the other Avengers. What's the matter? Figured out how they feel about Stark now?"

The words, true as they were, made Steve angry. "Wanda wouldn't do that," he said again.

"Steve, please," Laura said, her voice strained. "My husband talks about Wanda the way he used to talk about Lila. To hear him speak, you would swear that she was his daughter."

"You can't deny that the attitude against Tony Stark has changed since Wanda became a part of the team," Phil said quietly. "I've heard some of what was said. Some of what _you've_ said. Considering that most of SHIELD had bets on you and Stark dating before the year was out, I find myself deeply suspicious of what could've changed your attitude that quickly. Not many things come to mind."

Steve flushed at the idea of him and Tony dating. "I like Tony," he said, somewhat helplessly.

"You like him _now_ ," Phil said, removing a small black device from his pocket. He pressed a button and Steve's own voice filled the room.

" _You mean Stark's coming for a visit? I wish he'd do us a favor and just never come back. All he cares about is outfitting us with gadgets so that his precious company can turn and get the good P.R. God knows he needs it after building Ultron. Frankly, if it wouldn't put such a drain on SHIELD resources, I'd be tempted to throw his garbage out the window and use some_ quality _armor every once in a while. But I guess you're right: if nothing else, Stark is still good for his money."_

Steve stared at the device in horror. He couldn't believe that was him saying such awful things, especially when they were blatantly untrue. Tony had never cared about what little good will he earned from outfitting the team; he was just obsessed with making sure that the team was as safe as he could personally make them, not that he'd ever admit it. And there was zero doubt in Steve's mind that anything SHIELD made could even hold a candle to Tony's creations. And wishing that Tony would never come back? That was the exact opposite of what Steve wanted!

Though, a nasty voice in the back of his head pointed out, if this was the kind of vitriol Tony had been faced with while visiting the compound, it was no wonder he hadn't been back.

"Interesting how your attitude did a complete change after you were hit on the head," said Phil in that mild tone that meant he was right and he knew it.

"But Wanda..." Steve said weakly, finally dragging his eyes away from the device. It did make a terrible kind of sense. Eight months ago, the Avengers had been a team. A team that Tony Stark was definitely part of. He couldn't believe that Ultron would've changed anyone's mind that quickly, especially when Ultron hadn't been solely Tony's fault. Something else had to be at fault. But Wanda?

"Phil doesn't think she's been doing it on purpose," Laura said.

Phil nodded. "Wanda hates Stark, and she's not trained in how to use her powers. As I said, I think she's doing it subconsciously. Her emotions are influencing the rest of you until you feel almost exactly the way she does. And it's happened so slowly that you didn't even realize something was wrong until you got hit in the head. I think that blow erased the effect of her powers, or maybe lessened them to the point that the serum was able to eradicate the rest."

"I just can't believe it...." Steve whispered, shocked to his core. He thought of Wanda. She was much happier now, but she definitely still hated Tony with a passion. Sometimes it was hard to believe just how much. Enough to do this? It sounded ridiculous.

But then he thought of Rhodes, and how the man had just quietly sat there while the rest of the team trashed Tony, and how out of character that was. He thought of Clint, who had once spent hours playing video games with Tony. He thought of Natasha, who had once been perfectly content to cuddle with Tony on the couch while they watched a Disney movie. He thought of himself, who'd once dreamt about kissing Tony. And how all of them been badmouthing Tony behind his back.

"That's why we'd like to get some proof," Phil said. "I know someone. His name is Dr. Strange. I'd like him to come and test you for residual influence. If I'm right and Wanda is the cause -"

"Then we have to do something about her," Steve said numbly. "Either way... oh my god, _Tony_." Regret was cutting through the numbness, spearing hot into his chest, tightening his lungs with panic. The team was everything to Tony. 

"He's okay," Laura said hastily. "I spoke to him a couple of days ago. But I think he'd like to see you." She said it very carefully, smiling with a kindness Steve didn't deserve.

"The test first," Steve choked out, turning to Phil. "I need to know."

Phil just nodded. "I'll contact Dr. Strange and have him here by tomorrow morning."


	3. Chapter 3

The glow of Strange’s magic turned the air around Steve a faint blue. Steve crossed his arms, uncomfortable: both the magic and Strange exuded an unnatural feeling, and he’d learned to be wary of stuff like that. If Strange noticed Steve’s discomfort, he wasn’t paying any attention. He was completely focused on the magic, straightening up the when the glow began to turn purple. Steve wasn’t sure what that meant, but the frown on Strange’s face suggested that it wasn’t good. By the time the glow faded away, it was a deep, unmistakable purple.

“Is that it?” Steve asked uncertainly, taking a couple steps back until he was standing beside Laura. Strange didn’t glare at him for moving, so he figured it was okay.

“Yes. The test was conclusive. You’ve been affected by a curse. Quite a powerful one, actually,” Strange said. He had this way of looking not at you but _through_ you, as though fascinated by something only he could see, and it was a little unnerving.

“Was it from Wanda?” Phil asked.

“I’d have to meet her to know for sure. But unless you regularly come into contact with magic users and spend long periods of time in proximity to them, I would say that’s the likely conclusion to draw,” Strange said. “This kind of curse does not happen overnight. It requires plenty of exposure.” He squinted at Steve. “It clings to you even now, coloring your perceptions. Would you like me to remove it?”

“Yes!” Steve said immediately, no hesitation whatsoever. “Whatever it takes. And – the rest of my team. They’re probably affected too. Can you…?”

Strange nodded. “It may take a little time to remove the curse fully from them. You have an advantage because of your unique physiology,” he said. “Come back over here. Stand still.” He lifted his hands and muttered something under his breath, making gestures. Sparks flew from his fingers, so bright that Steve had to shut his eyes, but he didn’t feel anything –

“Steve. Steve!”

Steve startled awake to find himself laying on the couch and Laura inches away from his face. He jerked back and then froze, grimacing as a pounding headache made itself known right behind his temples. Wow. It had been a long time since he’d experienced a headache like this. He’d forgotten how bad the pain could get, like someone had put his head in between clamps that were slowly tightening. Laura put her hand across his forehead and the coolness of her palm helped a little.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Thanks.” He sat up slowly, half-afraid that he was going to throw up if he moved too quickly, and looked around instinctively for Strange. It wasn’t too hard to find him: he was standing in the kitchen about five feet away with the last person Steve had expected to see standing right beside him.

Tony.

“It should be a relatively simple matter,” Strange was saying to both Phil and Tony. “Particularly if she’s in agreement and doesn’t try to fight it. But you need to realize that’s not a long-term solution. Her powers can be bound, but eventually the seal will break and they’ll be just as strong, if not stronger, than before. You need someone who can teach her how to use them properly, or you’ll be right back where you started. And I guarantee you that if you let that things go that far, the damage will be far worse.”

“Can’t you teach her?” Phil asked. 

Strange looked amused at the idea. “I was a terrible student. I would be a worse professor.”

“Do you have any associates who could help?”

“Regrettably, not with something like this. Her powers are different from mine. I’m not sure the methods that were used to teach me would do anything for her except make things worse. She needs to be taught control, but her power is already too strong.”

“Xavier,” Tony said, and Phil and Strange both glanced at him. He had his hands shoved in the pocket of his suit pants, and he was pointedly keeping his back to Steve. “Bind her powers and then send her to the X-Men. Xavier deals with young mutants who are out of control all the time. By the time Wanda’s powers come back, he’ll have taught her how to use them properly.”

“That’s a good idea,” Phil said thoughtfully. “He has the space for her, and it might be good for Wanda to be around people her own age. Dr. Strange, how long will the binding process take?”

“What?” Steve croaked. His mouth tasted awful, and his voice sounded like he’d been screaming for hours. But he forgot about all of that when Tony turned around. At first glance, Tony looked good. His suit was crisp and he was standing tall, face tanned and hair perfectly coiffed. It only took seconds for Steve to notice the puffy circles under his eyes, poorly disguised with make-up, and the fact that he was thinner than he should’ve been.

“You’re awake.” Phil stated the obvious with a decent amount of relief. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” Steve said again. “What’s going on?”

“Coulson’s theory was correct,” Strange said without beating around the bush. “You were cursed, and the source was Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch. I was able to divine that the curse was unintentional, as suspected. I’ve removed it, and aside from a headache you should be okay. But Ms. Maximoff’s powers are strong – very strong. It’s dangerous for her to be untrained. My recommendation is that her powers be bound until she can learn some control, provided a suitable teacher can be found.”

“I’ll call Xavier and talk to him,” Phil said, already pulling out his phone. “I’m sure he’ll accept. Wanda’s not a mutant, but the circumstances are similar enough.” He stepped away, walking out onto the back porch.

Steve put a hand to his aching head. This conversation was moving quickly. “And if Wanda doesn’t that?”

Strange smiled. “I will be the one to have that conversation with her,” he said pleasantly. “I can convince her.”

“She’s still not going to like it,” Steve said. All of a sudden, like a veil had been lifted, he could see that Wanda had never had to face any consequences for what happened when she used her powers to ill effect. She hadn’t even gotten into trouble for working with Hydra or siding with Ultron. Tony had used a combination of money and his legal team to help smooth things over, not that Wanda had ever thanked him for it. She seemed to think that it was the least Tony could do, and if anything only spoke more harshly towards him than before.

She’d apologized – begrudgingly, with a scowl that made it clear she didn’t think she should have to – for messing with the their heads while working for Ultron, but otherwise her attitude for the past six months had been that her powers just _were_ and it was other people’s faults if they got in the way. And Steve had been encouraging that, he realized with a flush of shame. He’d never once judged her for work with Hydra, or tried to bench her until she learned control, or even pointed out that she was just as much to blame for what had happened in Sokovia as everyone else. 

“Does it matter if she doesn’t like it?” Tony asked. He was very tense.

“No,” Steve said, knowing it was the truth. “I agree. Something needs to be done.” It was only a matter of time before Wanda got too cocky and seriously hurt someone. Frankly, they were fortunate that hadn’t happened already. Being an Avenger required a level of maturity that Wanda didn’t possess. He couldn’t believe that reining her in had never once occurred to him.

That seemed to be enough to relax Tony, at least a little. He actually came a bit closer, though he remained out of reach. “How’s your head?”

“I’ll live. Tony, I’m sorry.”

Tony winced. “Steve, please don’t. It wasn’t you. You were being mind-controlled.”

“But I still said and did things that I shouldn’t have.” Steve didn’t want to be excused. Not now, not ever. There was certainly no excuse for his behavior before Wanda had joined the team. He’d let distrust build in the team and hadn’t wanted to listen to Tony’s explanations. He’d stood by while Thor lifted Tony off the ground his throat. He hadn’t even voiced a complaint against Wanda joining the team in the first place, even though she’d made her feelings towards Tony perfectly clear.

“Yeah, well. You’d hardly be the first place to make mistakes,” Tony said with a shadow of a smile. “What’s done is done. It’s not a big deal anymore.”

“You can’t really believe that,” Steve said. Not when there was all this distance between them. He and Tony used to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, so close that it would’ve been easy for Steve to slip an arm around his shoulders. Now the distance between them felt insurmountable. He just couldn’t believe how stupid – and how blind – he’d been.

“I could’ve said something,” Tony said, and it was then that Steve realized he’d said that last bit out loud. “Way back when Clint invited her to join the team, but I didn’t. I should’ve. Maybe this could’ve been avoided.”

“Maybe,” Steve said, though he had his doubts. He shook his head. “It's not your fault. All this time I’ve been justifying it in my mind by thinking that Wanda volunteered with Hydra just like I did,” he admitted. The words sounded ludicrous out loud. It was Hydra! They were nothing like Dr. Erskine’s careful, controlled experiments that were designed to help people. How could he have compared the two situations and not realized it was apples and oranges?

Tony looked at him carefully. “You were volunteering to help protect people. Wanda volunteered for revenge,” he said, very cautiously.

“Against you,” Steve pointed out, shaking his head. That just worsened his headache and he winced. Bad idea.

"Maybe you should sit down for a minute," said Tony. 

Steve wanted to protest - he wanted to continue their discussion - but the world was starting to spin and his vision was going grey at the corners. He tried to take a step forward and nearly fell flat on his face. Much to his surprise, Tony grabbed his arm and kept him from falling. He didn't say a word, just propped Steve's arm up on his shoulder and helped Steve back over to the couch. 

At some point Laura had slipped out of the room to deal with the baby. She returned with Lila and Cooper in tow, both kids freshly home from school. Lila squealed and raced over to Tony, who actually grinned and bent down to give her a hug. That was the Tony that Steve remembered, the complete opposite of the solemn, unsmiling man who now spoke to Steve, and knowing that it was Steve and the rest of the team who'd driven him to this point hurt. He'd made so many mistakes he didn't know how to fix, and he really had no one to blame but himself.

"Where's Vision?" Lila asked, her feet dangling as Tony scooped her up.

"He stayed at the tower this time," Tony told her. "But next time I come, I'll make sure he comes too."

Vision. Steve hadn't even thought to wonder why Vision had left the compound a couple of months back. Now, he wondered if it was because Vision was immune to Wanda's magic and had become uncomfortable with how the team was acting towards the man who was basically Vision's father - grandfather, depending on how you looked at it, though Tony would forever bitch about anyone who dared to call him a grandfather.

That right there should've been a sign. But Steve hadn't wanted to see it. It was easier to think ill of Tony, and god that made him feel sick. He wanted to blame it on the headache, but he knew that the nausea had way more to do with the fact that he'd bought into the lies and rumors around Tony just like everyone else had. He'd taken the word of someone else - someone who had voluntarily partnered with Hydra - over the word of someone who had been his teammate for more than three years. Someone that Steve thought he was in love with.

Peggy would've been ashamed.

He curled over miserably, feeling like he didn't have the right to be in the same room as Tony, as Phil came back into the room wearing a satisfied smirk. Steve didn't need confirmation to know that Xavier had accepted Wanda as part of his school, though it was nice to hear. The decision was made unanimously that they would set out for the compound by dinner.


	4. Chapter 4

About fifteen minutes before they left, while Laura was talking to the baby-sitter, Tony looked at Steve and said, “He’ll kill me for this, but you should probably step outside right about… now.”

A little confused, Steve obeyed. The last thing he was expecting to see was Bucky Barnes skulking around on the porch. Steve froze and so did Bucky, the two of them staring at each other. It had been months since Steve had last seen him, but Bucky looked a hell of a lot better. He wasn’t as thin, for one thing, and his hair, facial and head, was neatly groomed. He was wearing jeans, heavy boots and a warm, good quality jacket. It clicked then, and Steve exhaled, feeling months of tension seep away.

“You were with Tony.”

Bucky eyed him, but nodded. “I didn’t want to see you. I wasn’t ready,” he said plainly, and the words stung. “You were staying about as far away from Stark as you could get, so it was the safest place I could think of. Still not sure why he didn’t kick me out on my ass.”

“Tony’s like that. He’s generous, though he’d never admit it,” Steve said. It was just like Tony to know how much Bucky meant to Steve and take him in without question, even if it was just so that Bucky wasn’t running around on the streets. And frankly speaking, Stark Tower was probably the safest place for Bucky. No Hydra agent would ever be able to get in without JARVIS knowing about it.

Tony’s motive had been pure, there was no doubt about that in Steve’s head right now. But two weeks ago, he would’ve immediately jumped to the conclusion that Tony was either trying to make himself look good or planning to hold Bucky’s presence against Steve in some way. Blackmail maybe, or extortion. It was sickening how easily his brain would’ve run to those conclusions. He could imagine himself throwing those accusations into Tony’s face and inwardly cringed.

“You’re not cursed anymore,” Bucky observed.

“You knew?”

“Stark told me.” Bucky paused for a moment. Then he added softly, “It’s good to finally see you, Stevie.”

God. Steve wasn’t one to cry, but he could feel his eyes getting hot in a tell-tale way. “It’s good to see you too,” he said hoarsely. What he meant was, it’s good to see you in control of your mind when I'm in control of my mind. Bucky shot him a smirk like he knew exactly what Steve wasn’t saying.

There was just one thing that Steve wasn’t sure about. “You were ready to see me now?”

Bucky shrugged, flexing his fingers. He was wearing a glove over his metal hand. “Not really. But Stark’s pretty important to you. Or he was.”

“He still is.”

Bucky nodded, something like approval flashing across his face. “Figured that since most of his team was avoiding him, I’d keep an eye on him for you. And plus… I owe it to his parents.”

His parents. The rush of guilt was hot and consuming, like an open pit that was swallowing him whole. Bucky wasn't looking at him like he was an asshole, so he probably didn't know that Steve knew about the Winter Soldier taking out Howard and Maria. The Bucky that Steve remembered wouldn't have hesitated to call Steve out on that immediately. To maintain the lie, Steve probably should've asked what Bucky was talking about. But he couldn't bring himself to. That was a conversation that Steve should’ve had with Tony months ago, but he hadn't. He'd convinced himself that it was because he wanted to spare Tony the pain, but now Steve had to wonder if the decision had been more about sparing himself. Something else to apologize for. 

In the end, he swallowed hard and told himself that now wasn't the time. “Thanks, Buck,” he said instead, meaning it with all of his heart and soul. That Bucky had been looking after Tony meant more than Steve could put into words.

“You’re still a punk, but you mean well,” Bucky said with a rare smile. “Stark told me I didn’t have to see you if I didn’t want to. If you weren’t cursed after all, or if they couldn’t remove the curse, I’d’ve stayed hidden. But I wasn’t letting Stark come here alone.”

“I’m frankly surprised he didn’t come in the armor,” Steve admitted.

“I suggested that. FRIDAY seconded it. He said no.”

“Wait – FRIDAY?” Steve looked at him in confusion. “Why is he still using FRIDAY? Where’s JARVIS?”

Both of Bucky’s eyebrows rose. “I’m not sure who that is.”

“He was Tony’s first A.I. He helped us to stop Ultron –” Steve stopped mid-sentence, realization setting in. Oh god. He’d just assumed that Tony could rebuild JARVIS from the ground up. But if Bucky was living in the tower and had no idea who JARVIS was, then JARVIS…

The enormity of just how much the team had failed Tony was setting in all over again.

Bucky looked like he was going to say something else, but the banging of the screen door interrupted him. Phil, Strange, Laura and Tony came out of the house. All of them were dressed in jackets, so Steve figured that meant they were ready to go. He turned back to Bucky, but Bucky was gone. Steve stared at the place where he’d been and fought back a sigh. 

“Was that… okay?” Tony asked, so hesitant that it hurt.

“It was better than okay. Tony, thank you,” Steve said. “I was worried.” He briefly contemplated asking about JARVIS, but at the last minute he decided against it. Tony was already looking a little stressed. There was a familiar wrinkle right between his eyebrows and he was fiddling with his phone. Now was not the time. But Steve would definitely be asking later.

“I know,” Tony said, drawing Steve’s attention back to him. “I should’ve told you before.”

“No. You didn’t have to tell me. But I’m grateful that you did.”

That earned him a cautious smile, which felt like a step in the right direction. Steve hung on to the memory of that smile as they all headed towards the quinjet. He was a little concerned about Bucky, but that faded away as soon as they got the jet and he realized that Bucky was already in the pilot seat. And he made the take off look like it was child’s play, so clearly he'd been practicing.

The ride was mostly quiet, which Steve didn’t mind. He was kind of glad for the chance to just sit and close his eyes and try to make sense of it all. His anger at Wanda grew the more he thought about it. She’d manipulated his mind once and he’d forgiven her for that. But this was something completely different. Consciously or not, Wanda had almost destroyed his relationship with Tony. _Had_ probably destroyed it since Steve couldn’t believe that Tony would ever want them to be more than teammates now, and maybe not even that.

Of course, he couldn’t put all of the blame on her. She’d made things a hell of a lot worse, but the seeds of distrust caused by Ultron had already been planted. Wanda had just made things blossom. And that was something Steve had to come to terms with. He and Tony needed to have a long conversation – probably more than one, really – and this time Steve actually needed to _listen_ instead of assuming that he already knew the answers.

His ma had always told him that his stubbornness, especially when it came to thinking that he was right, would get him in trouble one day. Steve had never imagined just how right she would be.

The jet landed. They debarked together, in a group, with Steve at the head. He was glad he’d stepped forward when he realized that the whole team was waiting for them, including Wanda. His blood boiled with anger when he saw her. He might’ve actually said something that he would’ve later regretted had Tony not put a restraining hand on his arm, silencing him.

“What the hell is going on?” Clint said, eyes wide. “Laura? Phil?”

“Clint,” Laura said. Her voice was perfect, a little quivery and breathless. Steve would’ve paid money that she had done it on purpose, because it was exactly what they needed to put both Clint and Natasha off guard. 

“Do it,” Phil said quietly.

Strange stepped forward, throwing his hands out. Whorls of light leapt from his fingers. Wanda started to lunge forward, her red magic coating the air. Tony flinched backwards at the sight of it. Instinctively, Steve moved to cover him. He was surprised when Bucky did the same thing, wrapping a protective arm around Tony’s shoulders. That left Steve to stand in front of them, and he wished desperately that he had his shield, but his own body would do in the short-term.

Blue and red magic clashed. The fight was, in Steve’s expert opinion, pitiful. He could see what Strange meant when he said that Wanda hadn’t been trained. In a matter of seconds, Strange’s magic swallowed Wanda’s and surrounded the team. No one tried to make a run for it: it was like they all collectively froze at the first touch of the magic. Steve could understand why. He remembered that feeling: hot and fizzing under his skin, like all the colors in the world had faded out to grey.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Wanda spat, struggling against – well, against nothing that Steve could see, but she must have felt bound in some way. Strange walked over to her.

“You and I need to have a word, Miss Maximoff, about the use of your powers. You’ve been affecting those around you without even realizing it, and that makes you a danger.”

Wanda bared her teeth. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re crazy.”

“His name is Stephen Strange,” said Phil.

“Doctor,” Strange said, looking annoyed.

“Dr. Stephen Strange,” Phil amended without skipping a beat. “I’m Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate. SHIELD. You've probably heard of us. I called Dr. Strange in after it became evident that you had cursed the Avengers.”

“What?” Wanda exclaimed. “I did no such thing. I demand you let me go.” Her eyes roved desperately, finally settling on Steve. “Steve! Help me!”

A small part of Steve wanted to how she could dare to ask him for help after everything, but he shunted that aside for a firm look and a shake of the head. “You were manipulating me, Wanda. You messed with my head. _Again_. You made me…” He had to break off and swallow. “You made me hate Tony.”

“Stark is a terrible person. We all know that,” Wanda snapped.

“No. _You_ know that. And your magic is so out of control that you made us believe it too,” Steve hissed. He wanted so badly to see remorse on her face. To know that she felt guilty for what she’d done. But all Wanda did was stare at him defiantly. 

“If I did do this, I didn’t know what I was doing. You can’t blame me for that.”

“Why not?” Steve said, and he hated her at that moment. “You blamed Tony for not knowing what was being done with his weapons.”

Tony made a choked sound behind him, but Steve didn’t turn around. He kept his eyes on Wanda. This was harder than he’d expected. This was _Wanda_. She liked to watch the clouds move and sew her own clothing and she was amazing at making Natasha smile. She was a tireless fighter and she still cried over Pietro’s death at night and she was his friend. 

But at the same time, Steve couldn’t trust that. He didn’t know if Wanda was really his friend. What if all the feelings he had towards her were the product of brainwashing? What if he actually didn’t like her at all, and the same power that made him hate Tony had caused him to want to protect her instead? He stayed where he was because he couldn’t answer those questions, and Steve was done with making hasty, stupid decisions.

“Effective right now, your powers are going to be bound. You can opt to agree to this process, or we can have charges brought against you,” Phil said calmly. “Keep in mind, this won’t be the only thing you could potentially be charged with.”

“I haven’t done anything!”

“We have evidence that you aligned yourself with Hydra, and that you worked for and with them for several years before parting ways,” Phil pointed out. “Not to mention you purposely use your magic to manipulate the minds of the Avengers. All of which is illegal, in case you weren’t aware. To date, Mr. Stark’s efforts and legal team have protected you. But I imagine that help will no longer be forthcoming. I would think very closely about what your next move is, Miss Maximoff. I will not hesitate to throw you in the deepest, darkest dungeon that SHIELD can find.” He sounded pissed, and Steve couldn’t blame him.

The whole team was going to be a mess after this, but especially Clint. 

Wanda’s eyes darted from face to face, searching for help. Finally, she slumped, staring hatefully at Phil. “So what? You’re gonna bind my powers and throw me on the streets?”

“It’s what you deserve, but no. A friend of ours has agreed to take you in. Perhaps you’ve heard of him. Charles Xavier? He helps mutants to control their powers, and I believe he can help you as well.” Phil’s face was carefully blank, which – to anyone who knew him – made it clear that he didn’t think Wanda deserved help.

“I guess I have no choice,” Wanda said at last. “I want it in writing.”

“We can discuss that. Later. Dr. Strange, I leave her in your hands.”

Strange stepped forward and Wanda started struggling again, but in between one blink and the next the two of them were gone. Steve glanced away from the spot where they’d been, looking at the team just in time to see the purple and blue mist dissipate. As a one, the entire team collapsed. Laura cried out and ran to her husband’s side, cradling his head in her hands.

“What –” Steve took a quick step forward, but Phil held up a hand.

“It’s okay, Steve. Strange warned me that might happen. Apparently this kind thing is very taxing on the human body. He said they would sleep for a few hours and wake up disoriented, but fine.”

“I didn’t pass out,” Steve said.

“You’re a super soldier,” Phil said, already turning away. His hard demeanor waned as he put a hand to Laura’s shoulder, kneeling down to check on Natasha.

“I don’t think I should be here when they wake up,” Tony said quietly.

Steve turned so fast his back cracked. “What?”

“I think it would be better if they had some space,” Tony said, not quite meeting Steve’s eyes. He was, Steve realized, looking past Steve at the team. At Rhodes. And he heard what Tony wasn’t saying.

I don’t want to be here if it turns out they still hate me.

And Steve wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to be worried about that, but he couldn’t. Because he wasn’t sure. “That’s understandable,” he said in the steadiest voice he could manage, which probably wasn’t very steady. “I’ll call you. Tonight. As soon as someone wakes up.”

“Sure,” Tony said. He didn’t sound convinced.

Without thinking, Steve reached out and caught his hand. That was enough to get Tony’s attention, to the point where he actually looked up and met Steve’s gaze. Steve held his eyes and said, “Hey. I _will_ call. You have my word. Even if… well, we’ll deal with whatever happens. But you’re still important to me.”

“Thanks Cap,” Tony said, still subdued. He squeezed Steve’s hand once and then let go, glancing at the team one last time.

Steve, on the other hand, looked at Bucky. Without words, he tried to beg Bucky to look after Tony. To not only make sure that he ate and slept and didn’t spend all of the time holed up in the workshop, as Tony was prone to doing when he was upset, but to be there when Tony needed him in ways that Steve couldn’t. Not yet, anyway. 

It was a lot to convey wordlessly, but Bucky nodded at him like he understood. He settled his arm back around Tony’s shoulder and led Tony away towards the quinjet. Steve stood there and watched them climb the steps. The door rose behind them, sealing off the quinjet. A couple of minutes later, the quinjet rose flawlessly and took off into the sky.

“Steve,” Phil said behind him. “We could use your help getting everyone into the building.”

It took effort to look away from the sky. He wanted nothing more than to follow Tony and figure out how to make things right between them, but this was more important. At least for the moment. Steve turned and forced a smile. “Right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is complete, but at some point I'll be coming back to this verse to write a sequel(s).

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


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